www.mlems.ca

MIDDLESEX-LONDON Emergency Medical Services Authority

340 Waterloo Street, London, ON, N6B 2N6 – Tel: 519-679-5466 – Fax: 519-679-9509

Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004

Information Practice Statement – Middlesex – London Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Middlesex – London EMS is committed to providing excellent pre-hospital medical care and transportation services to the ill and injured in our community. In order to provide these services and to ensure that you receive proper care, Middlesex – London EMS needs your personal health information. Our commitment to service includes protecting your rights and the privacy of your personal health information.

As an individual who uses our services, you have the right to know how we collect, use, maintain and disclose personal health information. You have a right to expect that, to the best of our ability, the personal health information held by us remains accurate, confidential and secure.

The Government of Ontario has enacted privacy legislation which applies to most health care providers in the Province. The Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), requires that strict rules be followed to protect the personal health information collected, used and/or disclosed by “health information custodians”, including Middlesex – London EMS. The following steps are used to protect your information.

Security of your Personal Health Information:

Middlesex – London EMS is committed to maintaining the confidentiality and security of personal health information and has a number of practices in place to protect the privacy of your personal health information. For example, your health information collected by our paramedics is maintained in a secured electronic file that has restricted access. Only those who are directly involved in your care or those who have a legal right to see your records are permitted access to your personal health information. Even the paramedic that treats you has no access to your file once the ambulance call report has been completed.

Collection and Use of your Personal Health Information:

Middlesex – London EMS collects and uses information about you to respond appropriately to your health care needs. If you are unable or incapable of providing information about yourself, information may be collected from others to assess your needs. This information is collected to help provide you with care and service by paramedics and by other health care providers, like hospitals, or to process payments for health related services. This includes:

• Your name, address and Ontario Health Card Number; • Facts about your health, health care history and the health care that you have been provided;

Your personal health information is collected and used with your implied consent. Under PHIPA you have the right to withdraw or limit this consent after your information is collected. Withdrawing consent protects your information from further use or disclosure but may affect the provision of health care.

Selected information related to your care and service is used for administration, management, strategic planning, decision-making, research, and quality of care reviews with staff and for regulatory compliance requirements.

Middlesex – London EMS sponsors a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) program which enhances cardiac emergency response in various public facilities. The operator of the facility housing the PAD will collect personal health information about individuals who have been treated prior to the arrival of Middlesex – London EMS. This information is disclosed to EMS to continue care, and is also compiled separately and confidentially for research purposes with Middlesex – London EMS.

Access and Disclosure of your Personal Health Information:

You have the right to request access to your personal health information and to receive a copy of your personal health care records, subject to limited exceptions as set out in PHIPA. You also have the right to ask us to correct a record if it is inaccurate or incomplete. For directions on how to make an access or correction request, please contact the Deputy Chief, Professional Standards at the address listed below.

Your personal health information is private. Unless Middlesex – London EMS is required to disclose your personal health information for law enforcement purposes, or is specifically authorized under PHIPA to share your health information with others, we cannot and will not give out any of your personal health information without your consent. You may provide consent to let a family member, legal representative or other person see your personal health information. If necessary, Middlesex – London EMS will take steps to ensure that your consent is valid before disclosing your information.

Do you need additional information or do you have a complaint?

If you would like to access your personal health information or know more about how this information is collected, used, maintained and disclosed, please contact:

Deputy Chief Al Hunt Middlesex – London EMS 340 Waterloo Street, London, ON N6B 2N6 Tel: 519-679-5466 ext. 1105; Fax: 519-679-9509

You are also entitled to lodge a complaint with the Ontario Information & Privacy Commissioner if:

• You are dissatisfied about the handling of your personal health information by Middlesex – London EMS • Middlesex – London EMS has not given access to all or part of your health records after you have requested them; or • You have made a request for the correction of your health information and the correction has not been allowed.

Complaints can be directed to:

Information & Privacy Commissioner / Ontario 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8 Tel: 1-800-387-0073 or 416-326-3333 Fax” 416-325-9195; TTY: 416-325-7539 www.ipc.on.ca